


Run To You

by JFoster



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2017-07-02
Packaged: 2018-10-19 13:47:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10641084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JFoster/pseuds/JFoster
Summary: Sam’s been your closest friend since you rescued him from being stuck in a tree when you were children. You knew everything about each other. He was the one you always called no matter what happened in your life. You were the one who kept him grounded in reality. What happens when Sam sees what not being there for you truly cost you?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My first Sam series! I’m so excited!! I actually managed to not go fucking overboard with words this—that’s a lie. I just lied I’m so sorry. I meant to stop at 1k. Weirdly enough, I was cleaning my kitchen and this song popped up on my YouTube recommendations and wow, I couldn’t get this story out of my head. I’m sorry for the angst here, my own personal experience slipped through and it just seemed to fit so well into the story. It’s really fucking angsty and I’m so sorry. Don’t worry though, it’ll get better.

**Inspiration** : “Run To You” ~ Lea Michele

“ _’Cause you’ll be safe in these arms of mine,_

_Just call my name on the edge of night,_

_And I’ll run to you…_

_…_

_Even if it’s gonna break me love,_

_I run to you…”_

* * *

 

Sam lived for precious moments like these.

You were currently snuggled into his chest, snoring softly. The sweet smell of your conditioner always made him feel at home. He gazed down at your sleeping face, desperate to memorize your peaceful features; you were so beautiful this way, so unencumbered. He could feel sleeping pulling him under against his will. He swore he never slept better than when you were in his arms. Settling deeper into the couch, Sam kissed your finally worry free forehead and closed his eyes; with you in his arms everything was perfect.

You felt Sam finally settle down around you. When you shifted into a more comfortable position, his grip around you tightened. A ghost of smile graced your lips. You felt so safe snuggled in the arms of the person you loved most in the world: your best friend, Sam Wilson. You felt Sam’s lips press a chaste kiss to your forehead and smiled again. In his arms, everything was perfect.

* * *

“Wake up Sammy!” you shrieked, jumping on the couch and pelting him with pillows. Sam jolted awake half afraid he was under attack. You snorted at his ridiculous expression and his startled eyes fixated on you. Relief coursed through his body when he realized it was only you.  

“[Y/N] what the hell?”

“Come on, Sammy! You were sleeping the day away!”

Sam rubbed his hand over his face and groaned loudly. “What time is it?”

“Uh, 8:30 am,” you said. Sam looked at you incredulously. You snorted again.

“ _That’s_ what you call sleeping the day away?”

“Oh lighten up Sam, you were in the military aren’t you used to getting up at the asscrack of dawn?”

“Bite me, [Y/N].”

“Real charming, birdbrain,” you laughed. He ignored your retort and stood up from the couch. You caught a glimpse of his toned stomach when he stretched and did your best to avert your gaze. _Geez, when did he get so hot,_ you thought to yourself. He headed towards your bedroom, grumbling to himself.

“Wait! Where are you going?”

“I’m taking my ass back to bed. You kept me up ‘til 4 am last night. I’ll never understand how you manage to function and be perky as all hell on four hours of sleep _without_ military training,” he grouched while shuffling away. You laughed again. Early morning Sam was not the most pleasant Sam. He disappeared into your bedroom and you heard a loud _thunk_ as he collapsed onto your mattress. You debated on whether or not you’d pester him some more. Making your way into the kitchen, you decided against it. He’d been nice enough to let you cry your eyes out all night after your partner ended things out of the blue; the least you could do was let him sleep in some more. Opening the refrigerator and turning on the stove, you decided breakfast was the best way to thank him.

* * *

Sam woke up to the heavenly smell of bacon and eggs. Actually, he wasn’t entirely sure he was awake yet. He couldn’t remember the last time you cooked for him. A pang of guilt went through his heart when he remembered that was mostly his fault. His duties as Falcon and an Avenger meant he wasn’t there for you as much as he used to be. A moment later you walked into the bedroom with flour on your face, untamable curls and a breakfast tray in your hands. Sam thought you looked even more beautiful than he’d ever seen you.

“Rise and shine Wilson! It’s breakfast time,” you announced. Sam sat up with a wide grin on his face. Letting him sleep in was definitely a good idea.

“Aw Tink, you didn’t have to make me breakfast!”

“I’m debating taking it back,” you said standing in the doorway, “You know how much I hate that nickname, Wilson.”

“It’s not my fault you’re so short,” he laughed.

“I’ll have you know I am perfectly average height for a black woman, thank you very much.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, TinkerBell.”

“If you’re gonna be like that, I can absolutely take this back and eat it myself. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Alright! Alright! Please accept my humblest apologies, [Y/N].” You grinned and brought him the tray. His eyes widened into saucers when he saw just how much food you made for him. The tray was filled a large plate of not just waffles but pancakes, eggs, sausage and bacon. He wasn’t entirely sure he’d be able to eat this by himself.

“Damn girl, you expecting Steve to pop by any time soon?” he exclaimed. You laughed and smacked his arm. Holding up a second fork, you winked at him. He grinned again; he should have known better. The two of you always shared a plate.

“When was the last time I let you eat alone?”

“There was that one time in high school when you didn’t talk to me for two weeks.”

“You did that to yourself, Wilson. Your Mama raised you better than to go around snapping girls’ bra straps in intramural sports,” you scolded. He winced at the memory. It was the longest two weeks of his life. The earful he got from his mother when she found out why you weren’t speaking to him sent him groveling back to your good graces.

“You plan on eating any time soon or are you just going to stare at my majestic face?” you asked when he zoned out. He snorted and dug into food.

“Majestic,” he teased while popping a bit of pancake into his mouth, “Someone’s been using their word of the day calendar.”

“Fight me, Wilson.”

“I would but these pancakes are just too heavenly to abandon.” You rolled your eyes and speared a piece of sausage on to your fork. He winked when you bit into it. You pretended not to notice. The ringing of your phone startled the both of you. Pulling your phone form your pocket in confusion and curiosity, your face fell immediately when you saw who was calling. _Him_.

“[Y/N]?” Sam asked softly. It didn’t take a genius to know why your mood had instantly soured.

“I can’t answer this, Sammy. I’m not ready.” Your voice cracked and tears threatened to spill from your eyes.

“Do you want me to?”

“Please,” you whispered. He nodded firmly and took the phone from your hands. Pressing a button, he put the phone to his ear.

“Hello?”

“Who the fuck is this?” came an angry voice on the other line.

“Who do you think it is?”

“I’m gone one night and she’s already hooking up with you, Wilson. I’m not even surprised; she’s always been a fucking slut.”

“Watch your fucking mouth, Andrew,” Sam warned. The floodgates you fought so hard to keep boarded up shattered. Tears streamed down your face profusely when you heard the former love of your life degrade you that way. Sam pushed the food tray away and pulled you into his chest, muffling your soft cries. Rage burned hotly in his veins.

You weren’t sure when things between Andrew started going downhill but he went from one of the sweetest men you’d ever known to the most verbally abusive asshole you ever had the misfortune of meeting. At first you did your best to avoid his ire. You dressed more conservatively, stopped wearing as much makeup, you’d even stopped going out at night. You did your best to be the perfect girl for Andrew, sacrificing your emotional and physical well-being to placate an unappeasable asshole. Your friends were worried for you, especially when you started losing weight. Eventually, even they stopped calling. You couldn’t bear to look yourself in the mirror anymore; your reflection wasn’t someone you could even begin to recognize. When did love become such a minefield?

Andrew never hit you. He never had to. The sound of a glass shattering into the wall is still enough to send you scurrying from the room. The sound of a raised voice is still enough to make every hair on the back of your neck stand at attention. A simple insult, a harsh tone, a tense silence, a misconstrued meaning of a poorly worded phrase is enough to reduce you into a dissociative shell of yourself. The number of times someone found you hiding in a small corner trying your hardest to keep yourself together was far too many to count. Andrew never hit you; he never had to.   

To say that Sam was taken aback when he saw you for the first time in nearly a year would be an understatement. You were no longer that confident, joyful girl he grew up with. A shade stood in your place. He couldn’t believe his eyes. You were a puppy who’d been kicked one too many times; fearful and broken. He’d been so afraid to even touch you until you launched yourself into his arms and broke down completely. It took a few hours of tears and patience but Sam eventually got the whole story out of you. He fought hard to keep the fury he felt for your piece of shit ex from overtaking him, you needed him more than he needed to beat that man within an inch of his life.

“Man, what the hell do you want?” Sam snarled into the phone.

“Tell that whore to come get her shit from my house. I don’t want her polluting my crib with all this comic book nerd bullshit. I got a new girl coming over soon and if it’s not gone by tomorrow I’m throwing every fucking piece of it away.”

“You touch _one single thing_ that belongs to her and I swear to _every single god_ you can think of, I’ll make you pay for it.”

The sheer venom laced in Sam’s voice terrified you. How many times had Andrew threatened to make you pay for something that was never your fault in the first place? How many times had he thrown whatever he was holding into the wall next to your face with every intention of hitting you? How many times? 

Your chest froze in panic and you raced into the master bathroom, locking the door behind you. Breathing was nearly impossible. Clutching your chest in fear, you fought desperately to suck air into your heaving chest. Your mouth was dryer than the desert, your palms ached. Sweat dripped into your eyes blurring your vision. You barely heard Sam hang up the phone to knock on the door.

“[Y/N]?” he called. You couldn’t answer. You couldn’t even breathe properly. Your eyes burned, darkness began to creep up on you. You felt so heavy, too heavy. Somehow you wound up curling up on the bathroom floor, the cool tiles soothed your hot, sweaty skin. Breathing got a little easier but your vision darkened even further. Closing your eyes, you welcomed the darkness.  

Sam heard a loud thunk and a soft groan. He called your name several more times to no avail. He was terrified you were injured or worse. When you still didn’t answer, Sam decided it was time for drastic action. Kicking the door in, he was stunned to find you collapsed on the floor. He rushed to your unconscious body and cradled you gently. Your breathing had finally evened but you were out cold. Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Without thinking twice, he tapped a name, sent a brief text and pushed to call.

“Hello…?” came a confused voice.

“Hey man, it’s Sam.”

“What’s up?” the voice asked warily.

“I sent you an address. How soon can you get here? I could really use your help.”

“I’ll be there immediately.”

Sam sighed in relief, “Thanks.”

He hung up the phone and looked back down and your unconscious face. If he didn’t know any better he’d think you were sleeping. Unfortunately, he did. He released another heavy sigh. Guilt weighed on his soul; how could he have left you alone for so long? He pressed a soft kiss to your forehead. He’d never be more sorry than he was right here in this moment.

“I’m here now,” he whispered, “I’m here now.”

 


	2. I'm here now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam learns the consequences of putting friendships on hold to save the world. Asking for help is never easy, especially when you feel like you’re in too deep. Bucky proves to be trustworthy. Bonus: Tony Stark’s legendary generosity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, the response of the first chapter surprised the hell out of me. Thank you for your kind words! I hope you enjoy this next chapter! When will I learn how to write stories less than 1k words long? Never apparently.

**Inspiration** : “ _Safest Place to Hide_ ” ~ Backstreet Boys

_“Can you see me, here I am,_

_Standing here where I’ve always been,_

_And when the words are not enough,_

_I climb inside your heart and I’d still find,_

_You’re my safest place to hide.”_

* * *

 

Bucky was surprised as hell when Sam called him for help. It was no secret that the two of them didn’t get along very well, so to see Wilson’s name pop up on his screen set him a little on edge. He opened the text to find an unfamiliar address moments before his phone rang. 

“Hello…?” he asked in confusion. 

“Hey man, it’s Sam.” 

“What’s up?” Bucky was wary. He could tell by Sam’s tone of voice that something was wrong but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. 

“I sent you an address. How soon can you get here? I could really use your help,” Sam said hurriedly. Something must be really wrong if Wilson was asking for _his_ help. Why didn’t he call Steve or even Natasha? 

“I’ll be there immediately,” Bucky assured him. 

Sam sighed in relief, “Thanks.” 

Bucky wasn’t sure what to expect when he made his way through the Compound. He was so lost in thought that he nearly bumped into Steve. 

“Whoa!” Steve laughed, “Where’s the fire?”

“Shit. Sorry Steve, I’m kind of in a rush.”

Steve laughed again, “I can see that, bud. What’s going on?” 

Bucky sighed. It was clear that by not calling Steve, Sam didn’t want him to know what was going on. He couldn’t lie to Steve. What if Sam was really in trouble?

“Buck?” 

“Sam called and asked me to meet him somewhere. He said he needed my help,” Bucky relented. 

Steve’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and confusion. Sam called _Bucky_ for help? A brief pang of hurt flitted through his chest when he realized Sam chose Bucky over him, until he saw the subtle look of pride on Bucky’s face. Bucky had been trying to gain Sam’s trust ever since his return so Sam calling him for help must have made Bucky feel like he was finally making progress. 

“Did he say what he needed?” asked Steve. 

“No, but I get the feeling that something is really wrong if he’s calling me over you.” 

“Do you want me to come with you?” 

“Nah, I think we’ll be fine. I’m pretty sure Wilson and I can go ten minutes without trying to kill each other.” Steve snorted at this.

“Alright Buck. Let me know if you need me. I’ll be there sooner than you think.” 

“I know, punk.”

“Get going, jerk.” Bucky tossed Steve a grin on his way out the door. He couldn’t have known how easily it’d be wiped away.

* * *

 

Sam was anxious after hanging up with Bucky. He moved you to the bed but you’d been out cold for almost 20 minutes and you showed no signs of waking up. What if something was seriously wrong? What if you never woke up? A knock at the door startled Sam from his downward spiraling thoughts. A brief glance in the peephole revealed a nervous but concerned Bucky. Sam sighed in relief and opened the door.

“Hey man. Thanks for coming,” he said.

“Yeah, sure. No problem,” Bucky replied while stepping into the small apartment. He ran his hand through his hair while he waited for Sam to clue him in.

“I’m surprised you came, Barnes.”

“To be honest, I’m surprised you called me and not Steve.”

Sam stuck his hands in his pockets and stepped back uncomfortably. He’d surprised the hell out of himself when he called Bucky.

“What’d you need, Wilson?” Sam beckoned for Bucky to follow him while he led the way to your bedroom. Bucky didn’t know what to expect. Since Sam usually did his best to keep distance between the two of them, he hadn’t the faintest idea of what he was walking into. Sam led the two of them to your bedroom where Bucky was greeted with your still unconscious form.

“Who’s she?” he asked.

“This is [Y/N]. She’s my best friend, except…I haven’t been a very good friend to her lately.” Bucky nodded in understanding; complicated friendships were something he was painfully familiar with.

“Okay…I still don’t get what you need from me, pal.”

“I’m not sure how much I can tell you without putting my fist through something,” Sam answered honestly. Bucky looked at him in complete surprise. Out of all the people he knew to say something like that, Sam was the person he expected it from the least.

“Tell me as much as you can,” he said gently. And so Sam launched into the story of everything that had happened up until he found you passed out on the bathroom floor. Bucky felt pure and unbridled rage at the revelation of Andrew’s treatment of you; being a victim of abuse himself, he completely understood Sam’s unrelenting desire to put his fist through something.

“He called her a _what_ …?”

“I swear if I ever get my hands on him, I might actually kill him.”

“Now I understand why you didn’t call Steve,” Bucky said. Sam’s eyes widened in realization. He wasn’t entirely ready to admit it but maybe Bucky had a point.

The faint sound of faraway voices echoed in your ears. Your head felt like someone had run you over a thousand times with a Mack truck. Your shoulder ached where you fell on it; opening your eyes didn’t seem appealing at all. An unfamiliar voice responded to Sam’s and your curiosity got the better of you. They didn’t seem immediately to notice you’d woken up. Once your eyes adjusted, you were alarmed to find an astonishingly large man with a metal arm and a man bun standing in the doorway of your bedroom.

“Okay, who the fuck are you and what the fuck are you doing in my room?” you snapped. Both Sam and the mystery man whirled to face you.

“[Y/N]! Thank god you’re awake!” Sam rushed over to gather you into a fierce hug. The mystery man grinned sheepishly under your harsh gaze; he seemed more afraid of you than you did of him. Something about the way he looked at you felt familiar. It was almost as if you’d seen that same look in your own eyes whenever you accidentally met your reflection. _He’d been broken too_.

Detangling yourself from Sam’s firm hold, you rolled your eyes in annoyance. “That doesn’t answer my question, Sammy. Who the fuck is the large dude that’s just standing in my bedroom? You know how I feel about strangers in my place. I haven’t even cleaned up!”

Sam snorted at your words. He couldn’t believe he’d almost forgotten how particular you were about making sure your home was presentable for company. Some things never change.

“This is Bucky Barnes. I called him after I found you knocked out on the floor.” You sobered instantly.

“How long was I out?”

“Almost an hour,” Sam responded.

“Shit.” Glancing at the mystery man, no, _Bucky_ , you gestured for him to come in. “You might as well make yourself comfortable. I’d offer you a drink but apparently my hostess skills have completely flown out the window.” Bucky tossed you a lopsided grin and he sat down in the armchair across from your bed.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t meet under better circumstances, doll. How’re you feeling?”

“Well, aside of feeling like my head has been used as a drum set in a metal band, my body feeling like I’ve just gone through the spin cycle of the wash and waking up to find an insanely large man standing in my bedroom, I’m pretty damn peachy.” Both Sam and Bucky laughed at your sass.

“Are you sure you’re okay, [Y/N]? That was a nasty fall; I could take you to see Dr. Cho to get you checked out,” Sam fussed while he searched your face for any cuts or bruises. You waved him away and moved to get out of bed. You must had hit your head harder than you thought because when you stood up, you suddenly found yourself heading for the ground again. Fortunately, Sam was here to catch you this time.

“Whoa there, TinkerBell. No more collapsing on me please.”

“Shut it, birdbrain. I’m fine.”

“Sam’s right [Y/N]. You should really go get checked out. The Compound isn’t far from here,” Bucky interjected. You cut your eyes at him. He grinned and held his hands up in surrender.

“Alright, alright. I’ll go see a doctor if it gets the two of you off my back,” you relented. They both let out a sound of relief. You rolled your eyes; apparently having Bucky worried about you was just as bad as having Sam worried. Oh great.

* * *

“What’s the verdict Doc?” Sam asked. Doctor Cho looked up briefly from her clipboard. She’d seen a lot of things in her line of work but you were one of the most concerning cases of psychological abuse and neglect she’d ever seen. Her lack of immediate response worried you, Sam and Bucky. 

“Dr. Cho?” you whispered. She met your gaze sadly. 

“Honestly, [Y/N]…I’m a little surprised you can even function properly right now.” 

“What the hell does that mean?”  Sam fussed, nearly crushing your hands in his grip. 

“It means [Y/N]’s body is barely hanging on by a thread. If she doesn’t start taking care of herself, _and I mean immediately_ , she could die,” she turned to you, “why haven’t you been eating?” 

You looked away from the doctor’s concerned gaze, “I haven’t been hungry.” 

“Bullshit,” Sam half shouted. You winced; it didn’t go unnoticed by Bucky. 

“Take it easy, Wilson. You don’t want to scare the girl,” Bucky warned. Sam looked at him and for just a split second he contemplated sucker punching him. Your shivering body pulled him back to reality. 

“What can we do, Doc?” asked Bucky.

“Try to get her eating again. Small, easily digestible meals; her body is in starvation mode right now. It’s burning everything and anything it can just to keep itself going. If you’d waited any longer it could have been too late.” 

The doctor’s words weighed heavily on your mind. Things between you and Andrew had gotten so bad you were literally killing yourself to please him. How did you let yourself become this person? How did you let things get this far? Looking down at your hands, you finally notice how thing and skeletal they’d gotten. You were sure that if you looked into a mirror you’d see a reaper staring back at you. Who had you become? A fresh wave a tears threatened to spill over so you buried yourself into Sam’s chest. His arms wrapped around you tightly as he pressed soft kisses into your hair. You didn’t notice when both Dr. Cho and Bucky slipped out of the exam room. 

“I’m so sorry, [Y/N]. I’m so fucking sorry,” he murmured. You couldn’t believe your ears. What on earth did he have to be sorry for? You pulled away and forced him to meet your gaze. 

“Why are you apologizing to me, Sammy? You didn’t do anything wrong?” 

“The _hell_ I didn’t! I almost lost you because I was too busy putting everyone and everything else ahead of you!” 

“Bullshit Samuel!” you shouted while gesturing to yourself, “This isn’t your fault, it’s _mine_! _I’m_ the one who got myself into this situation. _I’m_ the one who spent days upon days avoiding eating because I wanted to be thin enough to please him. _I’m_ the one who spent hours crying myself to sleep because I never felt good enough for him. _I’m_ the one who stopped calling _. I’m_ the one who stopped reaching out. _I’m the one who almost died_!” 

“Exactly! You almost died and I never would have known until it was too late! I wasn’t there [Y/N]. _I wasn’t there_!” Sam broke down in tears. You could see his guilt as plain as day. Pulling him into your chest, you both cried together. It was cathartic in a way; being able to finally start to let go of who Andrew turned you into. 

Sam held you tightly, sobbing profusely into your arms. Hearing Dr. Cho say how close you were to the edge of death wrecked him to his very soul. He couldn’t believe just how close he was to losing the one person who mattered most to him in the world. He couldn’t believe he spent so much time putting you on the back burner that he essentially abandoned you. He couldn’t believe he wasn’t there when you needed him. 

Neither one of you were sure just how long you spend crying together. You were both soaked in guilt, tears and everything left unsaid. At some point, you passed out from exhaustion in Sam’s arms. Even with a puffy face and still runny nose, Sam thought you were the most beautiful woman he’d ever be lucky enough to see. A soft knock at the door startled him. He looked up to see Steve, Bucky and Tony standing in the doorway. 

“Hey guys,” Sam whispered. 

“Is she okay?” they asked in unison. Sam glanced down to your sleeping form and smiled sadly. 

“I hope she will be.” 

“Bucky caught us up,” Tony said, “we’re here for whatever you need, both of you.” Sam glanced at Bucky in full surprise. Maybe he’s not as bad as Sam made him out to be. Bucky flashed a small smile in acknowledgement. He understood Sam’s need to protect the ones he loved most. 

“I need to get her things from Andrew’s place. He’s been threatening to trash all her things. I can’t let that happen, but I can’t leave her.” 

“I’ll do it,” Bucky said. This was the moment Sam decided to finally trust Bucky. In spite of how awful things had been between the two of them, Bucky was stepping up to help him when he needed him the most. This was the moment Sam finally saw what Steve’s been talking about all along: Bucky has an amazing capacity for caring. 

“I’ll help,” said Steve. Sam smiled in thanks. 

“Me too,” Tony agreed, “no one deserves to go through what she’s been through. Thank god it wasn’t any worse.” Sam’s rage flared up again at the thought of that prick putting his hands on you. He must have gripped you too tightly in response because you whimpered in your sleep. Loosening his hold, he kissed your forehead to soothe you. 

“Thank you guys; I’ll get you the address. Would someone mind stopping by her place to get some clothes? I don’t want to leave her alone. I’ve done that for too long.” 

“I’ll send a team to collect her things and take care of her apartment. She’s staying with us from now on. That asshole doesn’t get to hurt her anymore,” Tony snarled. Sam nodded his head in appreciation. He’d never had any doubt the Avengers were his family but to see them ready and willing to take care of some else he loved only cemented this feeling in his heart. They truly were his family.

* * *

After giving his fellow teammates the necessary information, Sam carried you to his bedroom. After the day you’ve had he felt you deserved a little peace and quiet. He removed your shoes and tucked you in, leaving a gentle kiss on your forehead. You stirred from your sleep. He walked away to turn the lights out but you panicked at the thought of being alone in an unfamiliar place.

“Please stay. Please don’t leave me alone again, Sammy,” you whispered. 

“I’m not going anywhere, darlin’. I promise.” He flipped the switch, removed his own shoes and climbed into bed with you.  Curling yourself into him, you breathed a small sigh of relief. Your Sammy had come back for you, just like he always did.

_You were finally safe._


	3. In Repair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andrew finally gets what he deserves. Steve makes a mistake. Healing from psychological trauma is always a lot easier said than done, but your newfound family makes sure you know you’re not alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably going to have more than four parts. I cannae be stopped.

**Inspiration** : “ _In Repair_ ” ~ John Mayer

“ _Too many corners in my mind,_

_So much to do to set my heart right._

_Oh, it’s taking so long,_

_I could be wrong, I could be ready._

_Oh, but if I take my heart’s advice,_

_I should assume it’s still unsteady._

_I am in repair…I’m not together but I’m getting there…”_

* * *

 

Andrew got the surprise of his life when two Avengers showed up at his front door. He’d never felt so lucky or terrified.

“Can I help you gentlemen?”

“We’re here for [Y/N]’s things,” Bucky all but snarled. Andrew dropped his façade immediately.

“Is she fucking both of you too? You should probably get yourselves checked she’s always been a who—.” Andrew didn’t have a chance to finish his vile sentence before Bucky sucker punched him square in the jaw. Stumbling backwards in shock, Andrew balled up his fists to retaliate but the murderous glint in not just Bucky’s eyes made him reconsider.

“What the hell was that for, you fucking psycho?!” he screamed. Bucky moved to punch him again but Steve stepped in, grabbing the appalling man by the throat and slamming him into the wall.

“Listen here and listen well, asshole,” Steve hissed, “You’re not to ever call [Y/N] or any other woman that word again. In fact, you’re not allowed to even breath in [Y/N]’s general fucking direction. If she gets so much as a papercut in your vicinity I will hunt you down and put you in the ground myself. I won’t even need a metal arm to do it. Is that clear?” Andrew didn’t even have the dignity to keep from wetting himself out of fear. Steve released the atrocious man with disgust.

“Where are [Y/N]’s belongings?” Bucky demanded. Andrew pointed to a pile of three messily packed boxes next to the front door.  Steve and Bucky grabbed them hastily, not wanting to stand in the same room as this cowardly reject of man any longer than necessary. On the way out the door, Bucky turned around and leveled Andrew with his gaze.

“You better pray I don’t ever hear your name again or I’ll find you and show you exactly how HYDRA turned me into the Winter Soldier.” Andrew’s eyes widened in absolute terror as he wet himself even further; Bucky rolled his eyes in revulsion and stalked out of the house. _Absolutely_ _pathetic_ , he thought to himself.

* * *

You woke up exceptionally warm. Your face was smushed into a familiar broad chest which made breathing just a tad difficult. Sam had always been a full body snuggler and last night was no exception.

“Oof, Sammy!” you whined into his chest while simultaneously trying to separate your limbs from his.

“Wha-What?” Sam mumbled, still half asleep, “[Y/N], what’s wrong?” Your determined movements pulled him into consciousness.

“I can’t breathe!” you complained.

“Oh shit. Sorry, Tink,” he laughed. Rolling your eyes, you rubbed feeling back into your aching limbs. You’d never get used to just how _heavy_ he was.

This was the first time Sam had woken up next to you in his own room. He always loved how adorable you looked with sleep mussed hair and a cranky disposition. You disappeared into the bathroom. Despite everything that transpired yesterday, last night was the best night’s sleep he could ever remember having. A plume of hope flared in his chest at the idea of being able to wake up next to you for the rest of his life. He shook that thought from his head immediately; you weren’t his. You were never his.

You still couldn’t bring yourself to meet your reflection. Seeing your hands clearly for the first time terrified the hell out of you. You turned your back on the mirror; some things you just weren’t ready for yet. Peeling off your shirt, you forced yourself to look at the finger shaped bruised that angrily decorated your harms. Anger boiled inside of you. How dare he?! How dare he think himself so mighty that you were a plaything for him to toss around? Looking down at your protruding ribs, your anger melted into shame. How dare you allow yourself to become this way just to please someone else? Hot tears spilled from your eyes as you wrenched your shirt back on. How would anyone be able to love you now?

A soft knock came at the door. Sam groaned inwardly; he had hoped he’d get you all to himself just for a little while longer. Apparently life had other plans. Pushing himself to leave the warmth and comfort of his bed, he stalked grumpily to answer the door. It was a a bit of a shock to find Natasha and Wanda standing on the other side.

“Uh…hey... What’s up?” Natasha revealed a small bundle of clothing, she’d been concealing behind her back. Wanda held up hair supplies. Sam couldn’t help but grin at them, one of these days he’d finally be used to the never ending kindness of his teammates.

“Is she here?” Natasha whispered gently. Sam nodded and stepped backwards, allowing the women to enter his room. You heard faint voices and poked your head out of the bathroom in curiosity.

“Hey, Tink?” Sam called. Rolling your eyes, you stepped back into the room.  Gesturing to the unfamiliar women, Sam introduced you.

“Nat, Wanda, this is [Y/N]. Or as I like to call her: TinkerBell.”

“Saaaaaam,” you whined, “you know how much I hate that nickname.”

“I can’t help it; you’re as cute as a Disney fairy.” You rolled your eyes and stuck out your tongue; you would never admit it but you actually really loved it when Sam called you that. It was something sweet shared just between the two of you. Both Wanda and Natasha snorted at the two of you. Suddenly you remembered your manners.

“Oh gosh, I’m so sorry! It’s really lovely to meet the both of you! I promise I’m not usually this rude. Life has a way of demanding my full attention 10 minutes after I wake up,” you babbled.

Natasha waved your apologies away, “It’s perfectly okay. You should see Bucky or Barton in the morning. They’re real assholes before coffee.” You giggled.

“You laugh but she’s being completely serious, Tink. I’d face a thousand Chitauri armies before I faced Barton or Barnes without coffee in the morning,” Sam said.

“So,” Wanda interjected, “Nat and I thought you might be in dire need of some fresh clothes and maybe a hairbrush or two?”

Their sudden kindness stunned the hell out of you. Truth be told, you weren’t sure how the other Avengers would take to your presence on the Compound, especially after they found out what you’d been through. You’d never tell Sam, but you were absolutely terrified that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes would turn you away to deal with your own problems. Your self-worth had dwindled so much that you wouldn’t have even blamed them if they did. You were overwhelmed with their unprecedented compassion that you couldn’t help but burst into tears. That wasn’t the reaction anyone was expecting.

“Hey, hey sweetheart, please don’t cry,” Wanda rushed to you, doing her best to soothe you with her soft words. Natasha and Sam were close behind. Wanda wasn’t sure if you’d be okay with her touch so used her powers to send feelings of calm to you. The pain of your broken psyche was so severe that her gentle attempt to soothe you had no effect. Her eyes widened in shock; there’s only been one other person whose pain was so horrific that Wanda’s first attempts to soothe them failed. _Bucky_.

The exquisitely mammoth pain you carried around was enough to nearly bring Wanda to her _knees_. She was impressed you even had the strength to still stand upright. Wanda was no stranger to pain herself; she understood the mask you wore. She didn’t need her powers to see through you were now and who you had the capacity to be. The two of you had just met but Wanda already loved you. You were _hers_ now; no one else would hurt you so long as she loved you.

“Nat,” Wanda pushed into the older woman’s mind while Sam pulled you into a bear hug. Natasha’s eyes narrowed at the mental intrusion.

“Yes?” she pushed back.

“She’s just like Bucky. I tried to calm her down and it didn’t work,” Wanda admitted ashamedly. Natasha’s eyes narrowed even further. It took every ounce of self-control she could muster not to leave the Compound, hunt down that abomination of a man and _rip him to shreds_. It was one thing to be abused and trained into a weapon for use; it took a special kind of civilian monster to do this just because they could.

“She’s under our protection. No matter _what_ the cost.” Natasha pushed into Wanda’s mind. She didn’t have to be a telepath to know Wanda felt the same. No one else would hurt you as long as they had a say about it. Never again.

Sam and the women were more than understanding through your outburst. It was such a foreign feeling, having someone look at you with care instead of malice in their eyes. You kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. You kept waiting for the tables to turn.

Natasha and Wanda were right about how good a fresh change of clothes would feel on your battered body. They even managed to scare up cleansing conditioner and helped you return some life to your once bouncy curls. Two pairs of gentle fingers gently massaged your scalp, carefully working out the knots and kinks of your thick hair. The three of you bonded easily over everything; you found yourself becoming enamored with them. Two strong and fierce women that life snatched nearly everything from stood before you just as loving and empathetic as you could have ever dreamed. It gave you hope. You weren’t together yet, you probably wouldn’t be for a long time but with the love and care of your newfound family, you’d get there.

* * *

Sam stood in the doorway of the kitchen watched contentedly as Natasha and Wanda coaxed you into eating. Seeing two of the women he had become so fond of caring for the one he loved most in the world was a sight to behold. He wasn’t sure what he did to deserve this kind of love in his life but he damn sure wouldn’t question it. He was so enraptured with the sight he almost didn’t notice when Bucky and Steve walked up behind him.

“Hey Sam,” they greeted him. He grinned in response. Steve beckoned them to the living room. Sam and Bucky followed close behind and made themselves comfortable in nearby chairs.

“What’s up, Steve?” asked Sam.

“We’ve retrieved all of her belongings,” Steve said firmly. Sam looked back and forth between Steve and Bucky. He wasn’t sure how to properly react to the fact that his teammates had stepped up in such a monumental way. His shoulders sagged as he exhaled in relief.

“You—you don’t know what this means to me guys. _Thank you_ , seriously.”

“She won’t ever have to worry about him bothering her or anyone else again,” Bucky growled.

“Wait—you didn’t…?”

“No,” Steve reassured Sam, “but you don’t know just how close I came. How anyone could treat someone they claimed to love with such abhorrence is beyond me.”

“He doesn’t deserve to live,” Bucky stated. His metal fist clenched and unclenched as he fought to keep his rage under control.

“We don’t get to make that choice, Buck.”

“But he—!”

“No!” Steve half shouted. Your head snapped up at the sound of Steve’s raised voice. Cowering into yourself, you pushed away the soup Nat and Wanda had spent the last 30 minutes trying to convince you to eat. Suddenly the prospect of food was no longer appealing. Wanda pulled you into a gentle hug and pressed a soft kiss into your hair. Patting your shoulder gently, Natasha stood up from the table and stalked into the living room where the men were currently residing.

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about in here but that girl in there is terrified for her life and she doesn’t need you three assholes going and making things worse for her. You make _one more wrong move_ and I will end you myself, _is that clear_?” she hissed venomously.  

“I’m sorry for shouting, you’re right. She doesn’t deserve this, she deserves so much more.”

“It’s not me you need to apologize to, Rogers.” Nodding, Steve took steadying breath. He couldn’t believe he allowed himself to lose his temper like that with you in the next room. Natasha was right; he owed you an apology. Standing up and straightening his slacks, he made his way to the kitchen humbly.

“[Y/N]?” he called. Wanda’s grip around you tightened at Steve’s cautious approach. You lifted your head from her shoulder to meet his sorrowful gaze.

“Hello, Captain,” you murmured. He winced at your distinctly formal greeting. He owed you so much more than a simple apology.

“Call me Steve, please,” he implored you. You gave him a small smile at his request.

“I need to apologize for my actions, [Y/N]. I should not have lost my temper like that; I should have been more considerate of your feelings. I am sincerely sorry and if you would allow me to, I would be more than happy to make it up to you.”

Steve’s genuine apology was absolutely foreign to you. You’d been so conditioned by Andrew that you were half expecting Steve to force you apologize for making him yell. Logically you knew it wasn’t your fault and there was no reason for you to apologize but there’s nothing logical about an abused psyche.

“…make it up to me? Why would you want to make it up to me?” you asked. Both Steve and Wanda’s eyes widened in sheer confusion. Just when they thought their hearts couldn’t break for you anymore, you go and prove them wrong.

“That’s what you do when you apologize to someone,” Wanda said into your hair, “you apologize with your actions as well as your words.”

“Oh.” It only took one word for Steve and the rest of the Avengers to realize they had their work cut out for them when it came to helping you undo all the damage Andrew had done to you. Just one word.

“Will you allow me to make it up to you, [Y/N]?” Steve asked softly. You had to give him credit; he was trying. That was more than Andrew had ever done. He stood there in front of you radiating such pure honesty and goodness that you couldn’t help but smile. Pulling yourself from Wanda’s loving arms, you stood up and offered your hand to Steve.

“Tell you what, _Steve_. You introduce me to Thor and Doctor Banner and convince Mr. Stark to show me his lab and I’ll consider us even,” you said with a grin. Steve’s answering grin was brighter than sunshine.

You weren’t together yet but you were getting there.

 

 

 


	4. (Un)Requited Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time Skip: A year and a half! Moving in with the Avengers was the best decision you’d ever made. Things between you and Sam are absolutely wonky. Thor doesn’t approve of anything less than complete honesty. It looks like there’s someone else who might want a chance to earn your heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no self-control. None. Not even a little bit. If no one stops me I might end up writing 200k words and 20 chapters lmao. This whole thing is already 10k+ in my docs There’s definitely going to be more parts to this.

**Inspiration** : “Over You” ~ Daughtry

_“I’m slowly getting closure,  
_ _I guess it’s really over,  
_ _I’m finally getting better  
_ _Now I’m picking up these pieces,  
_ _From spending all of these years  
_ _Putting my heart back together,  
_ _‘Cause the day I thought I’d never get through,  
_ _I got over you…”_

* * *

 

Putting your life back together after the hell you went through was easier said than done. Luckily you had the love and support of your newfound Avengers family. It’s only been a little over a year but it’s been the absolute time of your life.

Tony, Bruce and the rest of the gang were pleasantly surprised to find out you weren’t just a freelance manuscript editor but an avid science and technology geek as well. You might not have been a certified genius but you _certainly_ gave Tony a run for his money. Bruce was just happy to have someone to talk nuclear physics with that wasn’t Tony Stark.

The friendship between you, Natasha and Wanda blossomed beautifully into an unbreakable sisterhood. The other women gave you so much more than just comfort and support; they helped you rebuild your foundation of emotional strength. Nat helped you channel your anger into learning self-defense. You had a particular affinity for knives. Wanda helped you rediscover what it meant to love someone and to be loved unconditionally. Without them, you weren’t sure where you’d be right now.

It wasn’t just the women who helped you, the men were also vital to your recovery. Steve and Sam helped you relearn how to stand up for yourself. Clint and Bruce taught you how to protect yourself emotionally; Thor taught you how to laugh carefree again. Tony and Bucky also helped you realize you were so much more than what other people decided for you. Pietro taught you how to love life; Vision helped you relearn how to trust. Truth be told, without the Avengers you’d be in a bar somewhere following in your father’s footsteps: drinking yourself to death. You shuddered at the thought.

There were still bad days. There were still days where you couldn’t even leave your bed because his voice played endlessly like a broken record reminding you how worthless he thought you were. There were still times were a sudden movement or a surprise touch to the shoulders would send you scurrying for a small, compact space where you could feel safe. There were still moments where you still couldn’t meet your own gaze in the mirror. You weren’t together yet, but you were getting there.

* * *

Instead of taking the job offer Stark Industries presented you with, you petitioned Tony to become an investor in your newly founded publishing business. You’d learned your lesson from Andrew thoroughly; self-reliance was one of the most important skills you could have. Tony was more than happy to help you fulfill your dreams and having the support of your closest friends, especially Sam and Bucky, gave you the courage to face your demons head on. So you did.

It took a couple of months for you to get things up and running smoothly but once you settled in, Second Chance Publishing quickly made its mark in the publishing world. No one was more surprised than you when some of your favorite authors approached you about publishing deals after your successes with novice writers on the New York Times best-selling lists. One of your writers even had a movie series deal in the works! It was so much more than you ever could have dreamed. Finally realizing that you were fully capable of standing on your own two feet, you made the choice to take Tony up on his offer of your own rooms in the Tower. Regrettably, Sam wasn’t quite ready to let you go just yet.

Things between you and Sam had been particularly strained lately. When you first moved into the Compound, Tony offered to prepare a couple of rooms for you to live and work. Of course, you hadn’t been in any mindset to think of sleeping on your own so you moved in (temporarily) with Sam. He didn’t seem to oppose at all. It was comforting falling asleep every night with someone you knew only had your best intentions at heart. The feeling of safety and serenity that came with being wrapped in Sam’s embrace consistently stole your breath away. Somewhere along the way, the line that separated friendships and relationships became blurred. When Sam introduced you to Psychologist Rebbecca Kaplan, you finally realized you’d accidentally fallen in love with your best friend. This discovery set off a chain reaction of awkward conversations and blatant avoidance between you and your oldest friend.

“Tell me [Y/N], how are you dealing with everything this week? Last week we talked you finally living in your own space and moving out of Sam’s. Have you talked to him about it?” Dr. Kaplan questioned, eyeing you carefully. You sighed heavily; this woman was too good at her job. This was going to be one of _those_ sessions.

“Things between us are weird now. Ever since Tony gave me the keys to my own rooms in The Compound a couple months ago, it’s like Sam goes out of his way to avoid me. Honestly Doc, I don’t know where I went wrong. I miss my best friend.”

“Last week, your homework was to attempt to talk it out with him, tell me how that went.”

“Oh believe me Doc, I tried. That man has been hanging out with Clint way too long because he’s sneakier than a weasel when it comes to talking about his feelings. I would have said something earlier but between his missions and my publishing business, I hardly see him anymore. If it weren’t for Bucky and Steve, I wouldn’t even know if he were still alive.”

“Go on,” she pressed.

“It’s like every time I walk into the room, he has to find some reason to walk out of it. I’ll send him an invitation to hang out with the gang but he always has an excuse as to why he can’t do it. Just yesterday, I made him his favourite dinner and he didn’t even come down to eat it. I love him; he’s always been my best friend. I just want to know what I did to make him hate me.” You could feel the unshed tears stinging your eyes. After everything you’d been through, you couldn’t imagine living a life without your best friend. Little did you know: Sam felt the same way.

* * *

“I don’t understand why you seek to avoid Lady [Y/N],” Thor chastised, “She is kind, clever and beautiful. Why must you let her believe you do not care for her?”

“I know this, ThunderBoy! It—it’s not that simple,” Sam muttered with his face in his hands. Thor grunted disapprovingly at Sam as Bucky walked into the kitchen.  

“If you are not careful, Sir Wilson,” he said with an appraising eye on the former Winter Soldier who was currently looting the fridge for post workout snacks, “Someone else will find a way to ensnare her heart.”

Bucky nearly choked on the unclaimed yogurt he managed to snag from the overly organized refrigerator. Thor’s pointed statement hit a little too close to home for him. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say the boisterous Asgardian knew about his feelings for you. Careful to keep his face impassive, Bucky made his way to the table to join the two men.

“Whose heart are we talking about here?” he asked. Thor looked at him with a grin he’d only ever seen on Loki or Natasha’s face. It was in that moment Bucky realized Thor and Loki really weren’t too different after all. That was a terrifying thought.

“Sir Wilson here is conflicted about his feelings for Lady [Y/N],” Thor stated with that same suspicious grin on his face. Bucky felt his heart sink to his feet. Of course, Sam had feelings for you; you’d spent that last 10 months sleeping in the same bed with him.  He wasn’t sure what surprised him more: the face that the two of you weren’t in a relationship or the fact that you’d somehow decided to move out. Either way, he held on to the faint glimmer of hope that he had a chance. Taking a measured breath, Bucky felt his mask slip into place.

“What are you confused about, man? [Y/N]’s a fantastic dame. Anyone would be lucky to even have a chance to be with her,” he said.

“A chance to be with whom?” came a particularly nosy red headed assassin’s voice. Bucky groaned inwardly; if Thor knew, Natasha knew and then he was completely screwed. Fuck.

“[Y/N],” Sam answered tiredly.

“I don’t know why you haven’t snapped her up yet Sam. It’s clear she loves you,” Natasha said coolly. Bucky could feel her piercing eyes boring holes into his face. Oh yeah, she knew. He was absolutely screwed.

“It’s not that simple okay!” Sam shouted. Everyone flinched at his raised voice. Sam rarely ever yelled.

“Talk to us Sam,” Natasha gently implored.

“I might be completely in love with her but that doesn’t give me the right to force my feelings onto her especially after that douchewad. A relationship is the last thing on her mind. So I have to deal with these feelings and put them away because she’s not mine. She never was.”

Sam sighed heavily and stood up from the table. He never intended on telling anyone, _least of all Barnes_ , _Thor and Natasha_ , how he felt about you. When you decided to move out of his room he felt his heart rip from his chest. Logically, he knew it was the best decision for you; you needed to figure out how to be on your own again. He just couldn’t seem to get his heart to understand that loving you as more than a friend wasn’t an option, least of all for him.

The first night sleeping without you was hell for Sam. He missed your warmth, the softness of your dark skin, the smell of your dark, curly hair; he missed you. It took him 3 weeks and a hell of a lot of caffeine before he could sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time. He wasn’t sure when he’d become so reliant on your presence next to him in bed but a part of him wished vehemently that he hadn’t. He knew he had no right imposing his feelings on you so he did the best thing he knew how to do: he protected you. Unfortunately, that meant he died a little inside every time he forced himself to walk away from you.

* * *

In hindsight, Bucky should have expected Natasha to confront him. Especially after Sam’s minor meltdown. The fact that he was completely surprised when she cornered him in the elevator meant he was completely off his game.

“Barnes,” she warned.

“Romanoff,” he retorted.

“Don’t even think about it.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Talia.” It took everything inside of Bucky not to put his fist through the wall. He knew having feelings for you was wrong; you were Sam’s best friend. Sam _finally_ trusted him. But damn if he couldn’t get the intoxicating smell of your skin and the sexy way you sassed him back out of his head. Between your unlikely friendship and his penchant for self-sabotage, his heart decided to leap headfirst into falling in love with you.

“Don’t bullshit me, Barnes. I know you have feelings for [Y/N]. Don’t even think about going after her.” The elevator doors opened and the two of them stepped onto the main floor. They _couldn’t have known_ you were rounding the corner then.

“Shouldn’t that be for her to decide?”

“Barnes if you fuck this up for [Y/N] and Sam there won’t be a force in the world that could keep me from ending your life.”

You were completely _floored_. Bucky Barnes had feelings for you? Holy shit! Wait, what did Natasha mean about him fucking things up for you and Sam? As far as you could see, Sam didn’t want anything to do with you. Confusion fogged your already tired and stressed brain. You were so wrapped up in this new admission that you didn’t even notice when you made it to your own room, stripped and flung yourself into bed. Sleep didn’t exactly come easy.

4:06 am. Your alarm clock mocked you mercilessly; sleep eluded you harshly. Staring at the walls was too much to handle, you needed to escape. Groaning, you pulled on a pair of comfy sweaters and a tee shirt you stole from one of the guys. You made your way to the kitchen to hunt down some calming tea only to find Bucky already there. _Oh shit_.

“Hey Doll. What’re you doin’ up?” he asked sleepily. His Brooklyn accent was so much more pronounced when he was tired and goddamn it was hot as hell.

You shrugged, “Sleep is a fickle mistress.” He snorted at you.

“I’m well aware.”

“What are you doing up?”

“Got some things on my mind,” he said simply.  Nodding at him, you rooted around in the cabinets before you found your hidden stash of vanilla tea. Prepping the tea pot, you turned on the stove and perched yourself on the counter next to him. Bucky snorted again when he noticed you swinging your legs in anticipation.

“Something funny, Buck?”

He leveled his piercing gaze on you, “You.”

Laughing, you lightly swatted him on the arm. Bucky felt goosebumps prickle his skin where you touched him. Mentally cursing himself, he fought the urge to kiss you right there. When you turned to watch the teapot he had free reign to take in your beautifully sleepy appearance. Your curly hair was sticking up all over the place, your eyes shined brightly. You nibbled on your plump bottom lip while you sat lost in thought and he could have punched himself in the face for finding it hot as hell. He wanted nothing more than to stare at you for the rest of the night.

The weight of Bucky’s stare was almost too much to bear. You replayed his earlier conversation with Nat in your head. Did he really have feelings for you or were you just a convenient choice? What did those feelings mean? Did he want you as a girlfriend or just a lover? Could he see a future for the two of you? Would he—

“I can hear your brain working from here, [Y/N]. What’s on your mind, doll?”

“Oh, it’s nothing Buck. Don’t worry about it,” you said while staring holes into the floor. Bucky’s flesh hand cupped your chin and he gently lifted your eyes to his. There was something different about the way he looked at you tonight. You couldn’t put your finger on it but it stole your breath away.

“Come on, darlin’. It’s me. I see right through you.”

“Bucky…” you whispered softly. Somehow Bucky found himself standing between your parted legs with his face inches from yours. He saw your gaze flicker to his lips and he almost lost it.

“[Y/N]?”

“Kiss me,” you ordered him. Bucky didn’t need to be told twice. You were suddenly crushed into his chest with his impossibly soft lips moving against yours. He groaned at the taste of you. Locking your ankles around his waist, you wrapped your arms around his neck and lost your fingers in his hair. His teeth nibbled softly at your bottom lip and you moaned into his mouth. It was the prettiest sound he’d ever heard. The temperature difference between his hands inching up your shirt set your body alight with desire. It’d been so long since anyone touched you like this, since anyone wanted you like this. You and Bucky were so lost in each other that you didn’t even notice Sam stumble into the kitchen in shock.

Sam couldn’t find it in his heart to be angry with either of you right now. He did this to himself. With his head hung low and his heart in millions of pieces, he walked away soberly. _You were never his._


	5. Too Little, Too Late?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things on the Compound escalate. A very angry Natasha and Steve make their disapproval known. Sam finally confesses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY SHIT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I’VE EVER WRITTEN MORE THAN 10K WORDS. I AM S H O O K. Thank you thank you thank you everyone for your kind words. I never could have dreamed this would be received so well.

**Inspiration** : “Was it something I didn’t say” ~ 98º

 _“_ _I took for granted that you knew, yeah_  
Oh love, the love I had for you, yeah  
I guess you never had a clue  
'Til it was too late, you walked away

_…_

_All the words were in my heart_  
Oh, they went unspoken  
Baby, now my silent heart is a heart that's broken… _”_

* * *

There were very few times in Sam’s life where he really and truly cried. Seeing the love of his life in the arms of the man he just barely trusted was definitely one of those times.

Stumbling back to his room, he couldn’t feel anything beyond numbness. There was a gaping hole in his chest where his love for you lived. Everything exploded inside him once he closed his bedroom door behind him. His bedroom that still smelled like you. His bedroom that still had your things in it. His bedroom that used to be yours too.

 _Spending another night alone_  
Wondering when I'm gonna ever see you again  
Thinking what I would give to get you back, baby

A lump formed painfully in his throat. Tears stung his eyes and he collapsed to the floor, head in his hands. Soul-wrenching grief weighed heavily on his shoulder. He couldn’t even be angry at you because he was the one who pushed you into Bucky’s arms. Another flash of you and Bucky invaded his mind. An anguished scream ripped itself from Sam’s throat as he pounded the floor. It was a damn good thing that Tony had this room sound proofed from your nightmare days. Sam wasn’t sure what hurt worse: the fact that Bucky was the one to win your heart or that you didn’t seem to love him that way at all.

 _I should have told you how I felt then_  
Instead I kept it to myself, yeah  
I let my love go unexpressed  
'Til it was too late, you walked away

Sam couldn’t find any energy to pick himself up off the floor. The cold tile soothed his heated skin. His sweatshirt was drenched with tears and snot; his body ached from the discomfort of the floor. His fists were beaten bloody and raw. None of this compared to the agony that made its home in his heart.

 _Was it something I didn't say_  
When I didn't say, "I love you"  
Was it words that you never heard  
All those words I should have told you  
All those times, all those nights when I had the chance to

Sam’s fucked up and masochistic mind kept replaying the scene of Bucky’s hands getting lost under your shirt, Bucky’s lips on yours, Bucky kissing you the way you deserved. His ears echoed with the sounds you made for Bucky. It was a hell made personally for him. Exhaustion eventually took over as Sam cried himself to sleep. He was too little too late.

* * *

Bucky couldn’t believe that he finally your lips on his, your hands in his hair, your body beneath him. He couldn’t believe he had you in his bed. It was a dream, it had to be.

Your breathless moans filled his ears; a symphony of ecstasy. Your skin was so soft in his hands, so supple, so silken. He felt your nails dig into his back as he thrust deeper into you, panting heavily. God, you felt so good around him. The coolness of your breath tickled his ear as you held him as close as you could. He could feel himself teetering on the edge of bliss but he fought against it to prolong your pleasure.

“Come on, doll,” he urged. He heard your whimpering response; you sounded so fucking beautiful to him. He could feel you clenching fiercely, squeezing him, teasing him. It was getting harder to hold back. He kissed your lips, swallowing your delicious noises of pleasure. Feeling your heated skin under his fingertips, he teased your nipples mercilessly in urgency. Bucky felt you clamp down and he let out a strangled cry. So close, he was so clo—

“Bucky! Wake up!!” Steve shouted. Bucky jerked upright from the bed, immediately encasing Steve’s neck in a vice grip with his vibranium hand. Once Bucky’s eyes focused on his target, he recoiled in shame.

“Shit! Steve! I’m so fucking sorry. I’m so so fucking sorry!” Steve coughed briefly and rubbed his neck. Shaking his head he waved Bucky’s apologies away.

“S’okay pal. I should have known better than to wake you up like that. You were having some kind of weird dream. I was worried.”

A different kind of shame went through Bucky. He wasn’t sure how Steve would react when he found out Bucky kissed you last night.

“…Buck?”

“Yeah punk?”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, punk. I’m fine. Don’t worry about it. Why’d you wake me up anyway? We don’t have training today.”

“Sam and I are supposed to go hiking today. I wanted to see if you’d tag along.”

“Yeah…uh…I don’t think it’s the best idea, pal.”

“Why not?” Steve cocked his head to the side, his disappointment eyebrow already poised.

“I’m just not sure it’s a good idea for me and Sam to be alone in a secluded place right now.”

Steve sighed heavily, “Bucky it’s fine. Sam trusts you now.”

“I guarantee he won’t when he finds out I kissed [Y/N] last night.”

“You did what?!”

Bucky flinched at Steve’s sudden shout. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Steve took a few deep breaths to calm down. He swore one of these days James Buchanan Barnes might just be the death of him. Bucky ran his fingers through his hair anxiously; surprisingly, this was _actually_ going better than he could have hoped.

“Why?” Steve asked simply.

“What do you mean why? I like her; she made it clear she liked me too. She’s the one who initiated it.”

“That’s not the point, Buck. You of all people know how fragile she is. You can’t take just advantage of her like this.”

“‘Take advantage of her’? What the hell, Steve?! Is that what you think I’m doing? You of all people should know I’m not the same man I was when we were younger.”

“You’re right. That was low and I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry. I just- I don’t want to see her get hurt.”

“I wouldn’t hurt her,” Bucky stated. Steve quirked his eyebrow at this; Bucky wasn’t a bad guy, he really wasn’t. Steve loved him more than a brother but he couldn’t see a relationship between the two of you working out without someone ending up with a broken heart.

“What about Sam?”

“What _about_ Sam?”

“You know how he feels about her. You said it yourself: he’s not going to react well when he finds out the two of you are together.”

“I love her, Steve!” Bucky shouted red faced and breathless.

“Do you, Buck? Do you even know her?” Steve asked sadly.

“Of course I do!”

“Really?” What’s her favorite movie? What’s the one thing she craves to eat at 3 am? What are her goals? Do you even know her middle name?” Bucky stared at his best friend dumbfounded. He didn’t know the answer to any of these questions.

“Face it, Bucky. You don’t love her. You love how she makes you feel.” Steve shook his head at his idiot of a best friend and walked away. Bucky had always been a little selfish when it came to women but Steve never could have anticipated him going this far.

* * *

Natasha knew the moment she opened her eyes, today was going to be a shitstorm. She didn’t know how she knew but every single hair on her body stood on edge. Something told her James Buchanan Barnes was at the center of it all.

She’d always been the suspicious type, even before the Red Room, so when she found you in the library gleefully whistling, she _knew_.

“What’s got you so perky today, [Y/N]?”

“Oh…nothing,” you said coyly, “Just a good day is all.” Natasha rolled her eyes at this.

“Spill it,” she all but ordered.

“Come on, Tash. There’s nothing to tell!”

“I don’t have to be a super spy to know that you’re hiding something, babe.”

“Who’s hiding something?” came a chipper Sokovian accent.

“[Y/N],” Natasha said without missing a beat, “she thinks I can’t tell when she’s hiding something.”

“Is this about Bucky kissing her last night?”

“Wanda!” you scolded, “You promised you wouldn’t read my mind!” Wanda held her hands up defensively, shaking her head.

“I swear I didn’t! I went to get some water from the kitchen last night when I caught the two of you going at it on the counter.” You groaned in embarrassment. Unbeknownst to the two of you, Natasha was quietly seething in rage.

“Oh god, I thought everyone was asleep!” Wanda snorted at you.

“So…” Wanda nudged your arm suggestively, “did anything else happen?”

You grinned sheepishly, “No, but I wouldn’t have complained if it did. He was really sweet about respecting my boundaries. Hey…where’d Tasha go?” Both you and Wanda were surprised to find the spy had disappeared during your conversation. This was completely unlike her; Natasha never passed up good gossip.

“I’m sure she’ll be back,” Wanda soothed, patting your arm gently. “So, tell me everything! How did it happen? Who kissed who? Was he a good kisser??”

You and Wanda descended into a fit of giggles as you filled her in on the joys of kissing Bucky Barnes.

* * *

 

Bucky should have known Natasha would make good on her threat once she found out he didn’t do what she told him. He _couldn’t have known_ she’d hunt him down to a briefing with Tony, Steve and Bruce just to make good on it. No one was more surprised than he was when she suddenly burst into the conference room, grabbed him by the collar and sucker punched him in the face. It was this exact moment that an emotionally and physically exhausted Sam Wilson decided to finally join the meeting he was already forty-five minutes late for.

“Oh shit!”

“Romanoff, what the hell?!”

“Christ, Nat!”

The room exploded into chaos as Steve and Bruce rushed over to keep Natasha from quite literally beating some sense into Bucky. Bucky didn’t say anything. Blood gushed from his nose while Natasha fiercely struggled against Steve’s grip in an attempt to hit him again.

“That’s enough!” Steve shouted. Natasha finally stopped fighting but her furious gaze never left Bucky’s face. Steve shared her feelings.

“Does someone want to explain to me just what the hell is going on here?” asked Tony.

“Why don’t you ask Barnes?” she seethed.

Looking from one angry Russian to the other, Tony sighed in resignation. “Barnes, care to enlighten me?”

“Not really,” he mumbled.

“Well somebody is going to explain why she’s going around sucker punching people in the middle of mission briefings.”

“Does this have anything to do with what you told me earlier, Buck?” Steve asked. His disappointment eyebrows were on in full force. Bucky nodded, trying his best to disappear into the seat. Steve sighed heavily and ran his hand over his face. Does the serum protect against heart attacks because he was pretty sure his stress level might bring one on.

“Is somebody going to fill me in?” Tony questioned. Agitation shone clearly on his face.

“Barnes here couldn’t keep it in his fucking pants. He made a move on [Y/N], last night,” she answered.

“What [Y/N]? …Sam’s [Y/N]? The girl he’s been in love with for years? That [Y/N]?” Natasha nodded, rolling her eyes at Tony.

“You know what, Nat? Hit him again, clearly his common sense missed the mark the first time around.”

“I didn’t know he was in love with her until yesterday!” Bucky cried.

“Bullshit,” Sam snarled. Everyone whirled around to see him standing in the doorway, visibly shaking in anger.

“…Sam, I—I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t know.”

“Tell it to someone who cares Barnes. I should have known better than to trust you.” Sam forced himself to turn around and leave the conference room. It was too tempting to follow Natasha’s lead. He got the shock of his life to see you and Wanda standing behind him with identical stunned expressions.

“….You’re in love with me?”

Oh…shit. 


	6. Run To Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What do you do when you find out your best friend has been in love with you since forever?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we are. End of the road. Wow. My first completed Sam Wilson series. I can’t even thank you all enough for all the lovely comments and kind words. Thank you so, so much for sticking around and putting up with my insane work and posting schedules, the other fics, and the writer’s block. I’m immensely proud of what I’ve done here and I absolutely look forward to doing and writing more. This is for you. Thank you again. You’re amazing.

**Inspiration** : “Run To Me” ~ Nick Lachey

 _“I'm holding on for you,_ _I'm fighting for your life._  
And when you're blinded by this jaded world, I'll be your eyes.  
Even if you fall, I won't let you break.  
When all the noise is telling you, to run away,  
Run to me…”

* * *

 

“You’re in love with me?”

 _Oh shit_.

Sam was completely frozen. Here you stood in front of him and everyone he knew with his deepest secret lay bare at his feet. He wasn’t sure if he was relieved or terrified. Five solid minutes of sheer anxiety crept by as you stood there in front of him with the same stunned expression. A throat cleared behind him. Oh! Right!

“Uh…yes?” he said with a hesitant shoulder shrug.

“That’s not convincing at all, Sammy.” You rolled your eyes at him. He grinned shyly at you.

“Are you?” you asked again. Sam sighed heavily.

He was trapped between a rock and hard place. On one hand, if he told you, he might lose you as a friend because he was an idiot who waited too long. On the other hand, he might have already lost you if your feelings for Barnes were real. Why wasn’t there ever a third option for these kinds of things??? Squaring his shoulders, Sam braced himself for your impending rejection.

“Yeah, Tink. I have been for a while.”

You wanted to knock some sense into Sam. You knew it was wrong, but you couldn’t help it. How could he not see? How could he have spent all this time not knowing how you felt? Granted, you’ve been healing from the worst break up and the worst relationship of your life, but how could he be so blind? Whatever you might have felt for Bucky was nothing compared to the pure  _l o v e_  you had for the best man in your life.

“You… _IDIOT_!”

“Wait…what?” Sam was completely dumbfounded. Of all the things to come out of your mouth, he never could have anticipated that.

“You blind, idiotic, daft, stupid, ridiculous…,” every word you hurled at him was punctuated with a step forward, “…kind, loving, gentle, wonderful, bird-brain of a man.”

“I am so confused right now…”

“I’ve been so completely, irrevocably and absolutely without a single doubt in my mind, in love with you  _every single day_  for the last year. I can’t believe you never fucking noticed. And you call yourself a ‘Falcon’.”

“Are you serious right now?”

“Samuel Thomas Wilson, I swear t—,” you didn’t get to finish your statement before Sam pulled you into a mind blowing kiss. Cheers from all the Avengers, minus one, erupted all around you. It’s been a long time coming.

“Are you okay, bud?” Steve asked a mildly sulking Bucky who was indeed still trying to disappear into the chair. He noticed Natasha slipped away in the commotion.

“Yeah, man. It wasn’t meant to be.”

“Maybe not with her…but there’s definitely someone else here you might still have a shot with…,” Steve said with a cheeky grin on his face. Bucky looked at him incredulously, what the fuck was he on now?

“What do you mean?”

“Why do you think Nat was so adamant against you pursuing things with [Y/N]? Are you really that clueless?”

“I got no idea what you’re talkin’ about, Stevie,” Bucky replied. Steve groaned and smacked Bucky on the shoulder.

“I know you guys have been sleeping together. She’s in love with you, stupid!”

“ _Oh_.”

“Fuckin’ shit, pal. You made a real mess of things. Seems like they’re workin’ out between Sam and [Y/N]; why don’t you see if you can’t fix things with Nat?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!!”

“Alright! Alright! I’ll talk to her! If you’re wrong, I’m coming back to punch you,” Bucky warned. Steve laughed.

“I won’t even stop you.”

 

* * *

 

 

Natasha didn’t like the emotions coursing through her. She was currently punching her way through one of SHIELD’s training simulations in a poor attempt to keep them at bay.

_Punch_. How dare that fucking asshole kiss you like that?  _Punch_. How dare he fall for you when he knew damn well Sam loved you more than breathing?  _Punch_. How dare he lie to their faces like that?  _Punch_. How dare he not see how she felt? Punch. How dare he?  _Punch_. How dare  _she_?

With one final punch, Natasha let out a gut-wrenching screech and sank to her knees. The training floor was cold and hard against her knees; her knuckles throbbed underneath her gloves. Her eyes burned but the tears wouldn’t come. The ache in her chest thumped painfully. She’d always been trained to lock her emotions up but when she was with the Avengers; her family, she couldn’t help but let her guard down. She couldn’t help but feel. What a stupid idea. With a quiet sniff, she picked herself up off the floor and put her emotions back in their box. There was no one else she could blame but herself.

“Mr. Barnes is approaching the training room, Ms. Romanoff,” FRIDAY announced. Natasha sucked in a harsh breath. What the hell did  _he_  want?

Bucky walked into the training room looking for Natasha. He wanted to kick himself for not seeing it earlier. He should have seen how all the hook ups, the late night rendezvous, and coffee escapes were really so much more than just two former assassins trying to get over their pasts. If he was really honest with himself he’d admit the only reason he kissed you was because he was afraid of taking that next step with Natasha. Fortunately, it only took a punch to the face and Steve’s ‘disappointed Dad’ eyebrows to force him to see the truth.

“Talia…?” he called out. She turned around and met his gaze coolly.

“Barnes,” she replied. Bucky winced at the formality of her tone. He walked towards her with his hands raised in surrender. Natasha regarded him carefully.

“ _я прошу прощения_.  _я дурак_.” [ _I’m sorry. I’m an idiot_ ] She scoffed in contempt.

“That’s the first true thing you’ve said all day.”

“What can I do?”

“I don’t want anything from you, James,” she stated icily. Gathering her things, she began to walk past him. Bucky reached out and grasped her hand in his. She whirled around, clenched her fist and moved to strike. He caught her fist in midair and pulled her into him.

“Please, Talia.  _Дай мне попробовать снова_.” [ _Let me try again.]_

“Am I ever going to be enough for you, James?” she murmured, gazing intensely into his eyes. Bucky’s heart clenched at her question.  

“You are and always will be more than enough, Talia. For me. For anyone. For everyone,” he assured her. Natasha head-butt her forehead into his and wrenched herself out of arms. He was so taken aback that he couldn’t stop her even if he wanted to.

“Then why didn’t you choose me?!” she cried out.

Bucky blinked rapidly to clear his vision. Damn, she was strong. When he was finally able to focus again, he saw her standing a few steps away poised to strike again. Looks like he’d have to let her fight it out; he raised his hands, palms out, in obvious surrender. With a snarl, Natasha took a running start and aimed a roundhouse kick at his face. He caught her foot in his metal hand. She screamed again in frustration, used his grip on her foot as leverage and aimed another kick at him. He blocked her kick and released his grip on her foot. She collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily. A single kick flip later and she was standing upright again, visibly angry. He could see the tears that threatened to spill over.

“Why didn’t you choose me?” she hissed.

“I was scared,” he murmured. Natasha stopped cold.

“What?”

“I was scared.”

“What the fuck were you scared of James? Because clearly, I’m the only one who ever felt anything between us.”

“That’s a lie, Talia and you know it,” he snapped.

“Is it? Is it really? Tell me something: were you thinking about her when you were fucking me? Was I just a stand in for what you wanted? Did you spend every single fucking time with your dick inside me wishing it was her? Did you even care?  _Do_   _you even care_?”

“Talia,” Bucky whispered as he felt his own eyes brim with tears, “Why are you doing this?”

“Did I ever mean anything to you at all, James? Anything?”

“How can you even ask me that? How can you stand there asking if you meant anything to me when you know  _you mean everything_?!”

“You kissed her!” she shouted.

“ _It was a mistake!_ ” Bucky couldn’t stop his tears from streaming down his face. Natasha cursed herself for wanting to comfort him. She walked forward and wiped his cheek with her finger.

“Were we a mistake?” she asked softly. Bucky grabbed her hands between his and kissed her gloved knuckles.

“If we were, I’d do it over and over and over again. If loving you is a mistake, I’ll never stop making it.”

“Okay,” she said as she stared into his unguarded eyes.

“Okay? Are you sure?”

“You’ll have to earn my trust back, but I’m willing to give you another chance. This is the only one you get. You fuck up again and we’re done. I deserve better than being treated like someone’s second choice.” Bucky nodded in excitement and kissed her deeply.

“I’ll do anything and everything to earn your trust back, Talia. I swear.”

“ _Good_.”

 

* * *

 

 

After the two of you finally confessed your feelings for one another, you couldn’t help but feel like you were on cloud nine. You weren’t sure what you did to deserve someone as wonderful as Sam in your life, but you’d be forever grateful. Sam decided he’d move in with you since it was kind of (not really) cramped on the Compound. Despite the fact that you both lived together before, your heart raced in anticipation.

Sam’s own heart pounded at the knowledge that you loved him back. No matter how many missions he’d fly, nothing would ever match the high of hearing the words ‘I love you’ pass your lips. Though the ache in his heart still remained, he was well on his way to being healed. You both were.

While moving some of his boxes next to your couch, you couldn’t help but noticed just how right it felt to have his things among yours. Your place finally felt like home. The piece you were missing was finally found. It was no longer just ‘your’ place; it was ‘ours’. Sam stopped unpacking to see you standing in silence in the middle of the living room. Momentary nervousness and anxiety reared its doubtful head.

“Are you sure you’re in love with me, Tink? You don’t have to say it back just because I did,” Sam pondered. The worried expression on his face was more than adorable. You absolutely, completely and irrevocably loved this gap-toothed asshole.

“Without a doubt, Sammy. Without even a shadow of a doubt. I love you,” you replied earnestly.

“I’m never gonna get tired of hearing you say that, you know?”

“Well, in that case, I’ll never get tired of saying it. What do you say we get you unpacked and finally make this place home?” you asked with a hopeful expression on your face. Sam grinned at you deviously. You felt your heart flutter in response.

“What?” you asked.

“How’s about we make this place home right now?” he said. His suggestive tone didn’t immediately register in your mind. He cocked his head to the side and stalked towards you. You couldn’t help the excitement that fluttered in your tummy.

“What are you—?” Sam cut you off with a heated kiss before you could even finish your sentence. You moaned into him instantly. His plush lips against yours sent shivers up your spine; you wasted no time reciprocating his desire.

“It’s about damn time,” he whispered in between kisses. You grinned against his mouth; God you loved this asshole.  

Sam’s hands took their sweet time getting to know the contours of your body above your clothes. Even now, at the height of his blatant desire, his respect for you never wavered. You could feel yourself tearing up at his gentle care; you were the luckiest woman alive. One of his hands slid up your back and cupped the nape of your neck. What might have seemed like a possessive gesture to others was actually a subtle reminder that he was here and you were safe. The sweetness of his kisses and kindness in his actions was almost too much. You needed more. Pulling away suddenly, you stepped out of his loving embrace.

“Is something wrong? Is this too fast?” he worried. It was your turn to smirk devilishly. With a firm grip of his shirt in your fists, you ripped it open, basking in the satisfying sound of fabric tearing. Sam’s gaze darkened and he licked his lips hungrily.

“Do you have any idea,” you started as you pulled him flush against you, “what it was like sleeping next to you every single day with your body pressed against mine? Do you even know how  _constantly horny_  I was feeling your impossibly hard to ignore boner pressed into my ass every morning?”

“Oh? Tell me Tink: what was so hard about it?” he teased. You smirked and trailed a hand down the front of his body. The feather light touch of your fingers tracing his dark skin left goosebumps in their wake. He hissed loudly when you cupped his painfully hard cock through his jeans.

“I spent so many nights wanting to  _touch you_ , Sammy. Wanting  _to taste_  you.  _To feel you._  No amount of cold showers or vibrators could ever tame my need for you,” you confessed. Sam moaned at your words. It was like you took them directly from his mind. He rocked his hips into your hand, grunting quietly. If you kept this up he might actually combust. He couldn’t be bothered to care.

“I’m all yours, Tink. Take what you want from me,” he granted.

That was all the permission you needed. Within seconds you were standing stark naked in front of him. You watched as his eyes devoured your body. Sam felt like the luckiest man alive. Sinking down to your knees, you made quick work undoing his belt and jeans. You slid them down his legs, raking your nails into his soft skin. Sam reached out and gripped the couch to steady himself. You’d only gotten his pants off and he could already feel the edge approaching. A brief look of surprise and amusement crossed your face when you saw his Redwing boxers. You’d have to remember to tease him for it later.

“ _Fuck_ , you gotta give a guy some warning before you rip his pants off,” Sam laughed breathlessly.

“Sorry Sammy,” you giggled, “I just can’t wait any longer.”

“Go ahead. You won’t catch me stopping you.”

With as much care as you could muster in your frenzied state of arousal, you slid his boxers down his legs, freeing his cock. You could feel your mouth watering as his cock sprang free and smacked his tummy. He looked absolutely delectable thick and hard in front of you. Sam inhaled sharply at the sudden feeling of cold air on his cock. His chest rumbled with a low moan when your warm hand cupped and squeezed his balls gently. You could feel the heat between your legs noticeably; your cunt ached for attention.

Sam watched you through hooded eyes as you trailed your lips from his balls to the tip of his cock. If he thought you were beautiful before, you were absolutely breath taking now. Your soft, warm mouth around his cock made his head spin. Your torturous tongue swirling and teasing were enough to make his knees buckle beneath him. Your hand cupped and caressed his balls tenderly. He was in heaven. When he saw your other hand slip between your legs for desperate relief he nearly exploded then and there. Carefully, he dislodged his cock from your mouth and pulled you to your feet.

“You’re too damn good at that, sweetheart. You’ll be the end of me,” Sam groaned. You smirked in response. Sam pulled you in for a heated kiss. You squeaked in surprise when his hand slipped between your legs; his nimble fingers were tender and soft.

“You’re so wet, sugar,” he teased, “is this all because of me?”

“Keep teasing me Sammy and I’ll take care of it myself.”

“Oh, that’s how it is?”

“That’s how it is.”

“Well in that case…” he trailed off. You raised an eyebrow at him until he slipped his middle finger inside of you and curled it.

“Fuck! Sam!”

“I got you, sweetheart. Be as loud you want.”

You moaned loudly at the supreme feeling of his thick finger rocking in and out of your wet heat. Gripping his shoulders for support, you rolled your hips into his hand.

“You’re so good, Sammy. So good,” you praised. You could see Sam’s eyes widen at your praise. He smiled shyly at your words. A light bulb clicked; of course, Sam had a praise kink.

“You like that, Sammy? You like me telling you how good you are?” you asked with a wicked grin on your lips. Sam nodded quickly and bit his lip to keep a moan at bay.

“You’re making me feel so, so good Sammy. I love the way you touch me,” you whimpered out. Sam grinned again and added a second finger inside of you, thrusting quickly. You cried out and dug your fingernails into his shoulders.

“Please…Fuck!  _Sam_!” you weren’t entirely sure what you were asking for but you knew you needed it right now.

“I got you, sweetheart.”

Sam removed his fingers and you whined in protest. He pressed a chaste kiss to your lips and pulled the two of you onto the couch. You collapsed on top of him, straddling his waist. Cupping your face between his hands, Sam pulled you in for a gentle kiss. The change in pace did nothing to tame the roar of desire in your veins. Your hips rolled into his; his cock tormented your clit in all the best ways. Sam pulled away from your lips to meet your eyes carefully.

“Are you sure you want this, sweetheart? You can say no at any time and I’ll stop. I promise,” he said. You smiled at him and kissed him again.

“I’ve waited for you over a year, Sam. I don’t want to wait anymore. I want this. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” While holding his bottom lip between your teeth, you sank yourself down onto his throbbing cock. You both groaned in pleasure.

“Shit, Sam! You feel so good!”

“You feel just like heaven, baby.”

Sam did more than just fill you to the brim. He fit you so well you knew you’d always feel empty without him. His cock was curved so subtly that you missed it by just looking at it; damn did you notice when he rocked his hips into yours. Sam held your face in his hands like you were the most precious thing in the world; his eyes never left your own. This was so much more than just sex. This was an exploration of an emotional connection that ran far deeper than any you’d ever experienced before. Your hearts beat in sync. You weren’t fucking, you were making love. In Sam’s eyes, you could see everything he laid bare for you. You could only hope he saw the same in yours. Kissing frantically, your hips lost their rhythm.

“Come on baby, let go. I got you,” Sam mumbled against your mouth. He was determined to get you to reach your peak first. You couldn’t do anything but whimper in response. One of Sam’s hands left your face and made its way between your legs to tease your clit. Soft yet frantic touches sent you hurtling over the edge.

“Sam!” you cried. The sound of his name falling from your lips sent Sam crashing after you. Holding you tightly in his arms, Sam bit down on your shoulder and emptied himself inside you. The sensation of his orgasm was too much for your oversensitive cunt to take; you came again, clenching tightly around him.

“Fuck!!” Sam grunted into your neck.

The two of you lay like that for a while. You felt so safe, so loved. Sam could feel the calming beat of your heart against his chest. After all these years, you were finally his and he was finally yours.  In each other’s arms, everything was perfection. 

“Welcome home, Sammy,” you whispered. He grinned and kissed your forehead.

“Welcome home, Tink.” 

END


End file.
